At Least You’re Here With Me

Seeing The Good

By Devna Panda

At the beginning of the school year, I always start off feeling hopeful about what the upcoming semester might bring. Yet, every year, without fail, I find myself feeling jaded by the half-way point of the semester, the initial excitement of being on campus having worn off. By the middle of the semester, I’m just looking to get through the rest of the semester whilst keeping my pride intact.

I try to remind myself that the point of being in college is not just to study and get through this challenging degree, but it is also to center meaningful friendships, engaging conversations, and opportunities. There are so many positive aspects of life to focus on when I begin to feel bogged down by all of my commitments. I try to take heart by engaging in activities that help me romanticize my life and feel like a character in a movie. I have so many unique avenues for adventure and self-improvement right now that won’t be as easily accessible later in life like having the opportunity to attend talks given by famous journalists, politicians, and poets, public telescope viewings at Tate Hall, walking through an art museum between classes, or just sitting in on random lectures because I have the desire to learn something new.

Moreover, as the central character in my life, the story continues to unfold around me when I get into a tunnel-vision mindset of merely finishing assignments and studying for exams. Sometimes, there are moments when multiple aspects of life can come together perfectly.

Thus far, I have found junior year to be incredibly challenging. I have little time for anything besides schoolwork. I feel as if I am being constantly pulled in multiple directions, overextending myself to the point where I feel I am physically in multiple locations at once. Even still, as an avid observer of Halloween, I knew I had to make time to participate in the festivities.

Throughout the week leading up to Halloweekend, I heard from two different friends that they would be attending a party in Como for a friend they had met while studying abroad. These two friends were from completely different circles; one was a friend in my major and another was a friend from my freshman year dormitory. They had just so happened to meet while studying abroad together and would be attending the same party. My circle of friends also had plans to make an appearance at a party in that same neighborhood. The amusing thought that we might run into each other on the streets of Como had occurred to me.

After arriving at the party, I experienced one of those moments during which different aspects of life seem to come together. My two friends and I discovered that we had arrived at the same destination: They had been invited by one roommate, and we had been invited by another. As the night progressed, I continued to run into close friends of mine from different places— the hospital I intern at and my hometown included—all of whom I had not expected to see at this party. All the while, I had been so focused on my own day-to-day life that I had missed when these connections had been woven together.

This occurrence was an important reminder of how possible it is to experience happy coincidences and feel cohesion once in a while. When the stress of trying to achieve in college sets in, it is important to lean into these pockets of connection and remind yourself of how comforting it is to be surrounded by people who are experiencing the same things as you. Although it is completely normal to struggle, it is important to be thankful for the individuals surrounding you and this season of life.